Myths and legends ; the Celtic race . er thanthe third sister, Irnan, whom Goll had spared. Finnin vain begged Oisin, Oscar, Keelta, and the other primewarriors of the Fianna to meet her ; they all pleadedinability after the ill-treatment and contumely they hadreceived. At last, as Finn himself was about to do battlewith her, Goll said : O Finn, combat with a cronebeseems thee not, and he drew sword for a secondbattle with this horrible enemy. At last, after a desperatecombat, he ran her through her shield and through herheart, so that the blade stuck out at the far side, and shefell dead. The
Myths and legends ; the Celtic race . er thanthe third sister, Irnan, whom Goll had spared. Finnin vain begged Oisin, Oscar, Keelta, and the other primewarriors of the Fianna to meet her ; they all pleadedinability after the ill-treatment and contumely they hadreceived. At last, as Finn himself was about to do battlewith her, Goll said : O Finn, combat with a cronebeseems thee not, and he drew sword for a secondbattle with this horrible enemy. At last, after a desperatecombat, he ran her through her shield and through herheart, so that the blade stuck out at the far side, and shefell dead. The Fianna then sacked the dan of Conaran,and took possession of all the treasure in it, whileFinn bestowed on Goll mac Morna his own daughter,Keva of the White Skin, and, leaving the dan a heap ofglowing embers, they returned to the Hill of Allen. The Chase of Slievegallion This fine story, which is given in poetical form, as ifnarrated by Oisin, in the Ossianic Societys Transac-tions, tells how Cullan the Smith (here represented as278. Patrick bade his scribes write all carefully down 278 THE CHASE OF SLIEVEGALLION a Danaan divinity), who dwelt on or near the mountainsof Slievegallion, in Co. Armagh, had two daughters,Ain6 and Milucra, each of whom loved Finn macCumhal. They were jealous of each other ; and onAin6 once happening to say that she would never havea man with grey hair, Milucra saw a means of securingFinns love entirely for herself. So she assembled herfriends among the Danaans round the little grey lakethat lies on the top of Slievegallion, and they chargedits waters with enchantments. This introduction, it may be observed, bears strongsigns of being a later addition to the original tale, madein a less understanding age or by a less thoughtful classinto whose hands the legend had descended. The realmeaning of the transformation which it narrates isprobably much deeper. The story goes on to say that not long after this thehounds of Finn, Bran and Skolawn, started a f
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booksubjectcelticl, bookyear1910
